Somtimes Simple

Matt Miles Photos
Shredhard Words



Spring may have sprung and the temperature may quickly rise but a fine ice still shines on the root of the trail, still clenched in winter's fist. Winter was colder and longer, meaner and deeper than usual. It came unannounced and tore the scene apart and the forest has still yet to recover. While the cracks and the contours of the forest floor where I usually play have yet to escape winter's hold, wide open valleys where dirt jumps live are clean and dry, even dusty in some places. This has lead me to a new bike, one I never would have seen myself riding. The Lacondeguy hardtail. I have long been known as a hater of the hardtail, dirt jump specific hardtails in particular. I have always loved to jump and it's my favorite part of riding. But I like riding big jumps on big bikes. Long distance gaps with long travel suspension. A bike with narrow tires, one brake, one gear, and no rear suspension? Sounds pretty useless to me.



Buried deep in thought of tossing old ideas to the wind and contemplating whether or not I could make use of a useless bike, I figured out something pretty simple. If I ride a hardtail into the energetic resurgence of the Kamloops Bike Ranch, I could be riding a month before a single trail in Kamloops dries. Even if the area in which I ride that funny little bike is featureless and grey and leaves me with nothing to daydream about, I'll still be riding. Even if it lacks all of the technical features I thoroughly enjoy tinkering with and the bike has nothing to think about, I will still be riding a bike. So I built up my Lacondeguy with collected parts from a short travel bike and gave it a chance. And I really didn't expect much. Flying through trees, skidding down boulders and navigating my way through the unimaginable are elements that excite me. I don't see how I will have fun riding a simple bike over simple terrain, with no chance of the unpredictable presenting itself.



I guess now is the point at which I can admit that I was completely wrong. As soon as the Lacondeguy's tires touched dirt the simplicity and predictability pulled me in. Even if the jumps aren't massive and the terrain isn't in the least bit sketchy, even if I don't have compression dials and pressure setting to play with, I am still riding and that gets me smiling. Every time the bar leaves my grip and spins back into my palm, every time the tail floats out from under me and the pedals whip back around to my feet, every time I come back to the ground and feel the bike do absolutely nothing, the simplicity drives me wild. No matter how far I throw it away from me, it comes right back to me right when it needs to be there. I haven't had a bike that has been this fun to play with since I was a little kid. It is more responsive and more nimble than I could have imagined. I am so glad I gave in to my previous way of thinking and gave my hardtail a chance. I am riding weeks before the trails are dry, smiling every day and making great use of my useless bike.

Spring Has Sprung

This past winter tip-toed by at a pace seemingly much slower than those of winters past. At first I was restless and couldn't find an outlet for my energy. Then as the days grew to their darkest I became bored. Reading books, watching my beard grow and counting the days between sunshine. Eight was the longest sun-free streak I counted. It was all a waiting game for which I had crafted many plays. But once my new bike arrived insanity began setting in and I was no longer set to win. The past few weeks of winter had really began taking their toll on me. More than once I found myself with the whiskey bottle in my mouth and my finger on it's trigger, asking myself irrational questions. What if spring never comes?


After having touched tires to dirt a few times now, I believe I am safe in making my call. Spring has sprung and once again I can see the familiar and anxiously awaited transformations taking place. Steadily warming winds sweep through the valleys and wick away the snow and ice. The trails are thawing and coming back to life. Birds now fly overhead and sing to me the songs of their winter travels, the places they've been and the things they've seen. The world is being painted again, shaded valleys and carefully brushed hillsides with the greatest attention to detail. More and more each day I see truck boxes filled with bikes and bright shining smiles in the cab. Wheels are turning, brakes are squealing and hearts are beating.


Time is on our side and it seems we can go anywhere we want from here. I am starring down the barrel of a loaded season and in the scope I see a lot. There are a lot of roads, some I have traveled and some I have yet to drive. A lot of trails, some I have memorized from beginning to end and some that will plant me flat on my face. And a lot of challenges lie ahead, some that I will conquer and some that will snap me in half. It's Time to shift into top gear and hammer out every last pedal I can. Here's hope for a long healthy season filled with laughter and adventure. This is going to be a big one, look out.